Feb. 23, 2007
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. -- No. 7 Northwestern scored a pair of runs on sacrifice flies, giving freshman phenom Lauren Delaney (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) all the run support she needed in a 2-0 win over No. 6 Oregon State Friday night at the Palm Springs Classic.
Delaney surrendered just two hits in the game -- singles in the third and seventh innings -- and one walk while striking out five to improve to 5-0 on the season. The win is Delaney's second shutout of the year and is her second win over a top-10 ranked opponent in her five-career starts.
With the win, Northwestern improves to 8-4 on the season and 2-0 in the tournament. The loss drops Oregon State to 7-3, 1-1 in the Classic.
Delaney and the Beavers' Ta'Tyana McElroy dueled through three scoreless innings before the Wildcats found the scoreboard in the top of the fourth. Senior Katie Logan (Tempe, Ariz./Corona del Sol) led off with a single to center, then moved to third when classmate Garland Cooper (Mission Viejo, Calif./Santa Margarita Catholic) doubled into the right-center field gap.
Freshman Nicole Pauly (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) then hit a sacrifice fly into right to score Logan and move Cooper to third and give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Erin Dyer (Homer Glen, Ill./Lockport) followed with a sacrifice fly of her own into center, plating Cooper to account for the game's second run.
With Delaney and her defense -- Northwestern turned two nifty double plays in the game on fly balls -- keeping Oregon State from even reaching scoring position, the Wildcats mounted another charge in the top of the seventh. Senior Jessica Miller (Elberfeld, Ind./Techumseh) led off with a single to center, then Erin Hampshire (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) and Jessica Rigas (River Forest, Ill./Oak Park River Forest) both drew walks to load the bases with no outs. After a fielder's choice erased Miller at the plate, McElroy (2-2) got a pair of strikeouts to keep the 'Cats from blowing the hinges off the game.
Northwestern returns to action at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday, Feb. 24, against Cal Poly. The Wildcats' second game of the day is an 8 p.m. CT showdown with No. 2 Arizona State. The games will be audio streamed live on NUsports.com via All-Access.